Miriwun

A rock shelter in the Ord River valley, Kimberley, Western Australia, now inundated by the Argyle Dam and submerged by Lake Argyle. Occupation deposits date from 16,000 BC. Artifacts from t he early phase include adze flakes, small denticulated flakes, thick notched flakes, pebble tools, irregular blade cores, and amorphous cores. Late phase tools, c 1000 BC, included unifacial and bifacial points, many denticulated, with the earlier tool types continued alongside.

A rock shelter in the Ord River valley, east Kimberley region, Western Australia, now inundated by the Argyle Dam. Occupation deposits date from 16,000 be. Artefacts from the early phase include adze flakes, small denticulated flakes, thick notched flakes, pebble tools, irregular blade cores and amorphous cores. An edge-ground grooved axe was found just above charcoal dated to about 1000 be, when the late-phase tools appeared. These included unifacial and bifacial points, many of the latter denticulated, while the earlier tool types continued alongside. Preliminary analysis of faunal remains indicates a long-term stability in species exploited, and an apparently stable subsistence pattern for 18,000 years.